Restaurants in Oak Ridge

For more than 70 years, jewels used to fill the African mahogany cases lining Sapphire's walls. The dark wooden cabinets remain, although they now brim with more than 40 kinds of vodka, Tennessee and Kentucky whiskeys, and rums from Central and South America. Sapphire may no longer drape its customers in precious gemstones, but it does aim to preserve the sense of elegant refinement that characterized the historic building for decades.

This commitment is readily apparent in the menu of upscale southern cuisine, which includes Tennessee cheeses from Sweetwater Farms, bacon and ham from nearby Benton's, and seasonal produce from local farms. These ingredients appear throughout the selection of regionally inspired dishes. Some dishes, such as the Louisiana-crawfish-stuffed hushpuppies with cajun remoulade, assertively announce their southern roots, whereas others show a bit more restraint, such as beef-tenderloin medallions, which arrive with a simple southern succotash.

On Thursday through Saturday evenings, the elegant environment in the long, narrow room becomes livelier as the night progresses and DJs begin their sets. Upbeat rhythms echo off the high ceilings and the vintage mahogany woodwork while patrons enjoy one of the martinis that earned Sapphire a spot on Metro Pulse's Best of Knoxville 2012 list.

The chefs at 3 Amigos Mexican Grill forge meaty and vegetarian versions of such classic south-of-the-border dishes as tacos, chimichangas, and burritos. At the full-service bar, a troupe of bartenders shakes up salty margaritas and pours beer and wine to quench thirsts of any caliber. The eatery's textured yellow walls, curved archways, and carved wooden chairs swaddle patrons in Spanish-mission style, and an outdoor patio hosts edible enjoyment beneath clear blue skies and unchained tanks of helium.